Illuminating device for sewing machines or the like



Aug. 29, 1933- c, w HDOUBLER 1,924,157

ILLUMINATING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES OR THE LIKE Filed Sept. 17, 1930MHWM Patented Aug. 29, 1933 OFFICE mnumiva'rme DEVICE FOR SEWING lmcnmsson THE LIKE Charles W. H'Doubler, Springfield; Mo.

September 11, 19:0 Serial No. 482.554

This invention relates in general to improvements in devices forilluminating work tables and relates more specifically to impro inelectric illumination of sewing machines or the like.

While the majority of, the prior sewing machines are equipped withelectric illuminating means, the lamps are not properly positioned forcasting unobstructed beams of light on the needle nor on the materialbeing sewed at the spot where the needle point enters said material;and, furthermore, being mounted on brackets supported on the outside ofthe arm, the lamps are exposed to easy breakage, present a crude w seemout of place, and become uncomfortably warm to the touch.

It is one of the objects ofthe present invention to overcome the beforementioned objectionable features.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for effectiveillumination of sewing machines, whereby the lamp is supported adjacentthe needle and in a position to cast an unobstructed beam of light onthe point pwtion of the needle while threading is being effected, and onthe material being sewed at the place where said needle enters thematerial.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for illuminationof sewing in which the lamp is positioned within a reees provided in thebottom portion of the head to protect the lamp against breakage, andalso to shield the eyes of the sewer from the flare of the light.

A still further object of the invention is to provide electricalilluminating means for sewing machines in which the lamp is mounted in amanner' that will facilitate exchange of lamps as occasion demands.

A further object of the invention is to provide an illuminating devicefor sewing machines or the like, which is simple and compact inconstruction and eflicient in operation.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of theimproved electric illumination of sewing machine work tables or the likeset forth in the accompanying on and in the claims annexed to andforming a part thereof.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification and inwhich the same refer- Y ence characters indicate the same parts in allof the views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a fragment of the tubular arm of a newtype of sewing machine embodying the present invention;

Fig.2isafrontviewoftheheadportionofthe (c1. gin-2.14)

broken away to show interior structure;

Fig. 3 is a side view of a portion of the face plate showing thepivotally mounted lighting element adjusted to permit convenientexchange of lamp bulbs; and

Fig. 4 is a side view of the head portion of the tubular arm with theface plate removed and showing a slightly modified embodiment of theinvention.

Since the present invention is well adapted for application to the headportion of a standard sewing machine, only the head and a portion of thetubular arm have been illustrated.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral 5 indicates the tubular arm ofa sewingmachine which in this specific instance is of uniqueconstruction designed to conceal the thread supply and take up meanswithin the tubular arm which terminates in a head portion 5' at thefront end thereof.

An annular aperture 6 at the top of the head is provided with adetachable pin 7 centrally posioned within the aperture and adapted toloosely support a spool 8 carrying the thread 9, said spool beingretained in a freely rotatable position within the aperture by a cover10 pivoted to the arm by a shouldered screw 11.

The needle-bar 12 carrying the needle 13 and the presser-bar 14supporting a presser-foot 15, are mounted in the head for reciprocation,said needle-bar being reciprocated by ordinary means supported in theusual aperture 16 provided in the front of the head.

While sewing with this type of sewing machine the thread 9 travels fromthe spool 8 under an adjustable tension member 17 and backwards througha horizontally extending groove or threadway 18, partially around aninner portion (not shown) of a thread guide 19, thence forwardly throughthe threadway 18', over a flared stud 20 and downwardly to the needle 13through an angular nick 21 provided in the front bottom comer of thehead for that purpose.

Now, while the said nick 21 is primarily provided as a threadway betweenthe stud 20 and the needle 13, it also provides a logical site forilluminating means. with that object in view a face plate 22, secured tothe head portion by a thumb screw 23 and to the arm by a-screw 24, isprovided. This face plate is formed to cover the threadways 18 and 18',and the usual aperture 16 at the front of the head, and also coacts withthe nick 21 to form a cavity or aperture 21' which is entirely enclosedexcepting for a bot tom'opening. Through this opening an electric lamp25, is adapted to cast a beam of light on the needle 13 and upon thematerial being sewed directly under the needle bar, without introducingobjectionable shadows from intervening objects. The plate 22 whileserving to normally conceal and to protect the lamp 25, does notinterfere with ready removal or replacement of the bulb.

To facilitate an exchange of lamps, as occasion demands, said lamp 25 isdetachably engaged by a socket 26 supported by the horizontal portion ofan L-shaped bracket 28 which may be pivoted either as shown in Figs. 1,2 and 3, to the face plate 22 or, as in Fig. 4, to the inside wall 27 ofthe aperture 21 by a shouldered screw 29. This pivotal arrangement issuch that said bracket, socket and lamp may be swung into a convenientposition for an exchange of a lamp.

Owing to the fact that the lamp is disconnected from the source ofelectric current, each time an exchange of lamps is in progress, springcontacts 30, which are properly insulated and suitably positioned on thewall 27, are-provided to insure good electric contact with the lamp atall times when the face plate 22 is in position.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the lamp is electrified by conducting wires31 which are connected with the spring contacts 30 by the usual screws34, and said wires subsequently proceed to the inside of the tubular arm5 through apertures 32 and 33 provided in the walls of the head, thenbackwards and downwards to connect with any suitable source of electricenergy. But as shown in Fig. 4 one of the lamp contacts is in goodelectric connection with the metal head and only one wire 31 connectsthe lamp with the source of electric energy, the other side of theelectric current being grounded upon the metal frame to complete thecircuit in the usual manner where one wire lighting is employed. Itshould be understood, however, that in this instance only low voltagecurrents are to be utilized.

While I have chosen to illustrate the present invention in connectionwith a sewing machine of special construction, in which the nick 21 isutilized in connection with the face plate to provide a lamp housingwhich is a necessary feature of that particular construction, it is notto be construed as limiting the application of this invention to thatspecial type of machine since all of the well known makes may readily beprovided with similar apertures in which electric lamps may be mountedin a manner equivalent to that shown in the drawing and defined in theforegoing description.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In combination, a sewing machine head having a recess therein with alower end opening, a removable face plate forming part of the head and aportion of the walls of the recess, a needle reciprocally associatedwith the head, an

' electrical connection within the recess, an electric lamp socketpivotally connected within the recess of the head and swingable to anouter position when the face plate is removed, said lamp socket beingdisconnected from the electrical connection when in its outer positionto permit removal of a lamp from the lamp socket, and an electric lampremovably mounted in the lamp socket for directing an unobstructed beamof light downwardly upon the lower portion of the needle and upon thematerial being sewed.

2. In combination, a sewing machine head having a recess formed in oneside portion thereof with a lower end opening, an angular removable faceplate forming part of the head and a portion of the walls of the recess,a needle reciprocally associated with the head adjacent the recess, ayielding electrical connection within the recess, an electric lampsocket pivotally connected within the recess and swingable to twopositions of rest when the face plate is removed, one of said positionscontacting with the electric connection within the recess when the faceplate is mounted on the head, and an electric lamp removably mounted inthe lamp socket for directing an unobstructed beam of light downwardlyupon the lower portion of the needle and upon the material being sewed.3. In combination, a complemental sewing ma chine head comprising aheadblock provided with an external angular notch or open recess portion,

a removable face plate co-acting with said notch to form a box-likerecess external to the head .block, said recess having a lower endopening an external notch, a removable face plate co-- acting with saidnotch to form a box-like recess between said face plate and the headblock, said recess having a lower end opening thereto, a needlereciprocally associated with'the head, an electric connection within therecess, an electric lamp socket pivotally connected to the face plateand swingable out of and into the face plate portion of the recess afterthe face plate has been.

removed from the head block, said lamp socket engaging the electricconnection when within the box-like recess but being out of contacttherewith when the two recess-forming members are separated, and anelectric lamp removably mounted in the lamp socket for directing anunobstructed beam of light upon the lower portion of the needle and uponthe material being sewed.

CHARLES W. HDOUBLER.

